WAC Women's Golf Postseason Honors Announced

4/22/2021 12:00:00 AM

DENVER – The 2020-21 All-WAC teams have been named following a vote of the WAC's nine head coaches. NM State earned the sweep as Amelia McKee was named WAC Player of the Year, Alison Gastelum was named WAC Freshman of the Year and Danny Bowen repeated as WAC Coach of the Year.

McKee earns honors after helping lead NM State to its 10th WAC Championship at Boulder Creek Golf Club in Boulder City, Nev. She finished in a tie for eighth at the event, shooting a 5-over-par 221. She also led the Aggies in stroke average on the season at 74.82 through 17 rounds played. Heading into the WAC Championship, she was the top ranked WAC golfer in the NCAA individual rankings, coming in at 282.

Gastelum was named WAC Freshman of the Year after placing seventh at the WAC Championship, shooting a 4-over-par 220. Her best round of the spring came back in February when she shot a 3-under-par 69 in the second round of the Moorpark Intercollegiate. Heading into the WAC Championship, she was the highest ranked WAC golfer in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings at 318.

Bowen earns his second consecutive WAC Coach of the Year honor after leading the Aggies to their 10th WAC women's golf title in his third season as a head coach. A 2007 graduate of NM State, he helped the men's golf program win four tournaments, including two conference championships. Bowen was a three-time conference first team honoree and was also invited to participate in the NCAA West Regional Golf Tournament as an individual on two separate occasions.

McKee and Gastelum also earned first-team All-WAC honors. Joining them on the first team are NM State's Pun Chanachai, Utah Valley's Victoria Estrada, Grand Canyon's Lani Luafalealo and Grand Canyon's Siripatsorn Patchana.

The All-WAC second team is made up of Seattle U's Samantha Bruce, California Baptist's Sofia Chabon, Grand Canyon's Payton Fehringer, California Baptist's Hailey Loh and Grand Canyon's Carly Strole.

2020-21 All-WAC Teams

First Team All-WAC
Pun Chanachai, NM State
Victoria Estrada, Utah Valley
Alison Gastelum, NM State
Lani Luafalealo, Grand Canyon
Amelia McKee, NM State
Siripatsorn Patchana, Grand Canyon

Second Team All-WAC
Samantha Bruce, Seattle U
Sofia Chabon, California Baptist
Payton Fehringer, Grand Canyon
Hailey Loh, California Baptist
Carly Strole, Grand Canyon